small



' 3Sheets-Sheet 1. S. SMALL. Gate.

(No Model.)

No. 236,099. Patented Dem-28,1880.

INVENTOQ.

PER I I la I ATT N PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D C4 3Sheets-Sheet, 2. v S. SMALL. Gate.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 28,1880.

INVENTOQ.

WITNESSES.

RN f N. PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. n16.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S. SMALL.-

(NoModeL) INVEN T OR N.PErERS, PMO'HLLITNOGRAPKER, WASMING'ION. 5,0.

which it opens when swinging to the right;'

NISTE STATES ATENT F SAMUEL SMALL, OF CLAY TOWNSHIP, HAMILTON COUNTY,INDIANA.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,099, dated December28, 1880.

Application filed April 23, 1880.

proaches from either direction.

It consists, principally, in the construction of a peculiar form oftilting mechanism, and, secondarily, in some details of construction inthe other portions of the operating mechanism and the object is thusaccomplished, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, ofwhich- Figure l is a perspective view of a gate embodying my invention;Fig. 2, a side elevation of the gate in closed position; Fig. 3, alongitudinal vertical section of the tilting mechanism and adjacentparts on the dotted line as .70 Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section onthe dotted line 3 y,- Fig. 5, a plan view of the tilting mechanism,either when the gate is at rest in closed position or being closed fromeither direction; Fig. 6 is a plan of the tilting mechanism whenoperated toswing the gate toward the post D, showing, by means of dottedlines, the relative positions of the gate thereto, both when juststarting to open-and when completely open; Fig. 7, a similar view toFig. 6, except that the mechanism has been operated to swing the gatetoward the postE instead of the post D Fig. 8, a rear elevation of thegate in closed position, the several posts being shown in dotted linesonly; Fig. 9, alike view to Fig. 8', except that the mechanism is shownin its simplest form, without the ratchet devices. Fig. 10 is anelevation of one of the bails H and surrounding parts, a portion of theframe being broken away to show the spring; and Fig. 11 an elevation ofthe catch 1? attached to the post 0.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the gate proper; B, thepost to which it is hung; O, the post against which it shuts D, the postagainst which it opens when swinging to the left; E, the post against(No model.)

F, frames or equivalent uprights, placed in such relation to 'thetrip-rods as to admit of the proper connections being made; G, pul-vleys upon the frames F H, the trip-rods over which the wheels pass; I,springs which hold the trip-rods in upright position; J, rods orequivalent devices connecting the trip-rods with the mechanism whichoperates immediately on the gate and having a flexible portion, j, whichpasses over the pulleys G; K, a bar attached in the center to themechanism below the gate and at the ends to the rods J; L, a horizontalbar pivoted at one end, by a pivot, l, to the projecting plate B on thepost B, or to some other form ofimmovably-constructed bearing, andhaving on the other end the hingepintle a for the lower hinge of thegate, or a socket for said pintle to enter; M, a circular or segmentalrack rigidly attached to-the bearing B; N N, pawls which engage withsaid rack, and are operated, as hereinafter described, by a projection,k, on the bar K; O a latch, and P a catch therefor.

The peculiar arrangement of the horizontal bar L, in combination withthe gate and a suitable means of imparting a movement to said bar, isthe most important point of my invention. This bar, being pivoted to afixed pivot at one end and having the lower hinge of the gate pivoted atthe other, operates, when pulled in either direction, to tilt the gateso it will swing in the other direction. Any means, therefore,of,applying force to the bar L, provided it operates to pull toward thepoint of application, will cause the gate to swing from said point.

In order that the mechanism shall be secured to remain in opera-tedposition after the operating force is removed I have devised a catchmechanism, consisting of the circular rack M and the pawls N N. The rackM is rigidly attached to the bearing B, at or near the point where thebar L is pivoted thereto, and the pawls N N are pivoted to the oppositeend of the said bar L, and are held in contact with the said rack M by aspring or other equivalent means. The pawls are operated by theprojection k on the bar K, which (as said bar is allowed to move a shortdistance independently of the bar L by the slat 1, through which thebolt K passes) presses first against one and then the other of saidpawls, as it is pulled in one or the other direction. WVhen one pawl ispushed out of engagement with the rack M by the projection 7c the otheris at once forced into engagement therewith, and so remains until thebar K is pulled in the other direction. By this means the bar L isalways retained in the position into which it is forced until asubsequent operation of the other mechanism. I

As will be clearly understood, the bar L, rack M, and pawlsN N aresuperfluous, except for the purposes hereinbefore indicated, and theoperation of the gate is the same when the rods J are connected directlywith the bar L, as shown in Fi 9, except thatit will not stay inposition when the operating force is removed.

The trip-rods H are of the single loop or bail variety, and are held inupright position by the spring I, or an equivalent weight. The flexibleportions of the rods J pass over the pulleys G and are attached directlyto said trip-rods. hen the vehicle-wheels pass over the trip-rods inapproaching the gate the bar L is forced into the position shown in Fig.6 or Fig. 7, and causes the gate to swing open. When the vehicle-wheelspass over the triprods in going from the gate the bar L is forced intothe position shown in Fig. 5, and causes the gate to close. The reasonthat the bar L is forced into different positions by passing indifferent directions over the same trip-rod is that the latter in beingforced down under the pulley G pulls the rod J farther than when forcedoutwardly from said pulley. This will be readily apparent upon aninspection of the drawings.

The latch O is of a common form, is pivoted at 0, and is provided with ahandle, 0, by which it may conveniently be opened by hand.

The catch P consists of two parts, loosely pivoted at pp, and ahorizontal plate,p upon which the points of the parts 1) 1) rest. Eachof the parts 1) is also usually provided with a handle, 12, by which itmay be operated by hand when desired.

In opening the gate its front end is raised high enough so that thelatch O is above the top part, 1), and therefore passes overit as thegate swings open. In closing the gate the latch strikes the part 1),pressing it inwardly until the latch is past it, when it falls intoplace, and thus secures the gate in position.

The operation of this gate may be briefly recapitnlated as follows: Thewheels of an approachin g vehicle or other means force one of thetrip-rods H over, and, through the connecting-rods J, pulls thehorizontal bar L around, as shown in Figs. 6 or 7, tilting the gate Auntil the latch O is raised out of the catch P and the gate swings open.Passing on, the wheel strikes the other trip-rod, and through the otherconnecting-rod pulling the horizontal bar L back into the position shownin Fig. 5, and the gate is thus caused to swing shut.

It will be understood, of course, that a cord or rod pulled by hand, orany other means that would give the horizontal bar L the propermovement, would be as effectual to operate the gate. I therefore do notwish to confine myself to any specific means of imparting motion to thesaid horizontal rod.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic gate mechanism, a horizontal bar pivoted to a fixedhearing at one end and bearing a hinge-pintle for the gate upon theother, said pintle being non-moving, and said bar being the soleimmediate means of imparting motion to the gates, in combination withappropriate means for operating the same, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

2. The combination of the trip-rods H, eonnecting-rods J, horizontallever L, mounted at one end by means of a fixed pivot, L, and attachedto the gate at the other by a fixed pivot, a and gate A, havingheel-piece a, all arranged and operating substantially in the manner andfor the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the bar K, moving on a pin, K, in the slot 1 ofthe bar L, the pawls N N, attached to said bar, and the ratchet M, allsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the single-bail triprods H, spring I, pulleys G,and connectingrods J, having flexible portionsj, all substantially asshown and described, and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 20th day of April, A. D. 1680.

SAMUEL SMALL.

